Hi all, Last Summer at the GRR Convention in Tacoma I picked up a SpecCast 1:16 scale Monarch model 35 crawler in diecast metal. The Monarch Tractor Company introduced this model in 1929 and it was built until 1943, well it wasn’t really that simple. Allis-Chalmers Company had bought Monarch in 1928 but continued to use the name for several years(note the A-C diamond on the side). In 1933 the Model 35 name was changed to the model “K” and they lost the steering wheel and changed to steering levers in 1935. There were lots of other upgrades and changes to the basic model through the years including a diesel version. This model represents a Circa 1932 version for my Circa 1939 railroad so the machine is not to badly beat up yet. Anyway here is a couple pictures of before and after.
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The only thing I really did was a little weathering with oil paints. The track was rattle canned then weathered with oils. Oh’yea, I oversprayed the whole thing (after dis-assembly) with Krylon Matte finish before starting the weathering.
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A friend had given me the depressed center flat a few years back, he had scratch built several of them, but they were 1:22.5 scale and were a little on the small side for my 1:20 layout. I looked at it again and decided it would work for this project. I added a new, wider center deck with side supports, some Aristo Craft Delton arch bars with Sierra Valley wheels, some KD #1’s and a little weathering color. Since this tractor can turn around basically in it’s own footprint I thought it was prototypically possible to be self loading on the center of the flat. I still have to build some gas drums and cable spools for the rest of the load.
Thanks for taking a look. Rick
